[Jade]

I'm super excited for this book to be released! I pre-ordered it a few days ago and it will be absolutely awesome when it arrives. Hi, if anyone is interested in doing this "book club" with me, you should just know this was entirely Raymond Jardine's idea, which makes sense since he's super intelligent, the only person I will ever concede the title of "Gord's Biggest Fan" to, and the book is dedicated to him (he deserves it!) Anyways, here is what he proposed:

"I'm thinking something along the lines of discussing one chapter per day until the book is finished. If we were to start on Saturday 29 July, it would give everyone time to pre-order the book or pick it up from the bookstore and read the first chapter. Each week, people could participate whenever they're able to go online, discussing any of the chapters up to the present date. The only rule is to limit comments to chapters already covered and not jump ahead!

 

Based on 32 chapters: At one daily chapter, we would reach the end on Tuesday 29 August. (This is just a suggestion... maybe people would want to make it two chapters per day or some other reading rate so the whole book is complete before the school year starts up.)"

I hope you guys are interested in reading this awesome book with us! #102, go Gord!

Be blessed,

Jade

P.S. I realized that I wasn't ever going to post this if I kept thinking about "how it was gonna work", so I just did it. YOLO.

[Darren]

I'll gladly take part if I'm at that book by that time.

I've just started reading GK's entire output, mostly chronologically. Re-reading some, but plenty that are new to me. I don't have them all but trying to acquire them as I go along. I may have to skip a few.

[Raymond Jardine]

MIXED UP is in bookstores today! And in mailboxes for those who pre-ordered! Can't wait for everyone's thoughts on this book. @Jade: Thank you! @Darren: Skip ahead, man!

[Jade]

I CANT BELIEVE MIXED UP WAS RELEASED TODAY!!!! WOOOO!!!!! MY COPY GETS DELIVERED TOMORROW!

[Jena Harper :)]

I'm given one ebook from my primary school and I will select Mixed Up. It shows the ebook available now and I should know my download code soon then I will be able to begin reading over weekend.  :)

[Jade]

That’s spectacular! Tell us how great it is!

[Jade]

I finally am able to read the book! The cover looks so awesome in person! This is great. Be blessed, y'all!

[Raymond Jardine]

So, who's planning to read MIXED UP and check in for the discussion? I'm looking forward to everyone's insights!

[Jon B]

I've read it, wouldn't mind rereading it a chapter at a time to be able to discuss a little bit. When/where/how is this being done?

[Gordon Korman]

Kind of anxious to get your comments, everybody. As you will discover, MIXED UP is something a little different for me.

                                                                               -----Gordon Korman-----

[Jade]

Hey guys! It's the first day of the MIXED UP "Book Club!" (Also my dog's birthday, he's eight now.) I'm excited to talk about the first chapter with you guys! It was short, 10 pages, but really enjoyable and I like the way Reef is introduced. I haven't read any books talking about COVID yet, so this was very different. Reef is really nice and I recognize the way that you show his grief. I'm glad you started the story later rather than sooner because it would really hurt to read about his grief if it was sooner. I have, but ouch! Declan is a bully, but an interesting bully, I can see that he has character. I get it, being the youngest, and a random "charity case" (though Reef is a lot more than that.) Anyway, the way Gord introduced the part about the Roma tomatoes Reef definitely has no clue about what really intriguing. Per usual, it was funny even though homie was sad. What do you guys think about Reef? The other characters? This story gives attention to the effects of COVID.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Yay! Glad to see you posted, Jade. 

I feel like I'm going to have a lot to say to start but I promise my future comments won't be as long.

Like everyone else on this page, my comments will have some spoilers—but I'll limit them to the chapter we're discussing each day! So, here are a few observations from Chapter One:

> A bunch of characters are introduced rapidly: Reef (as narrator), Willis (offscreen), and the trio of Helmer siblings—Liam, Carolyn, and Declan. Two more get mentioned within the next paragraph—Reef's and the Helmers' moms. 

> I have a feeling I will incorporate "Walk much, or just read about it?" into my own litany of remarks to make (in a friendly way, of course).

> The story immediately introduces important conflicts for Reef. First, we find out his housemate Declan is making life miserable for him. Then, we learn of Reef's inner conflict, the turmoil of losing his mother. 

> And then, like Jade said, we all get pulled into the shared bad memory of the Covid pandemic and its lockdowns and tragedies.

> I'm always looking for callbacks to previous Gordon Korman stories. One I saw in the first chapter is a Canadian reference right at the get-go (the school librarian's rock climbing trip)—GRK often mentions Canada in his stories.

> And the big question comes at the end of the chapter--just like Jade said: What's the deal with remembering-but-not-remembering a tomato garden?!? 

 

[Raymond Jardine]

Well, since this is the start of the MIXED UP book club, I'm going to include some thoughts on the cover and other book features.

> The cover design is super simple, and oh so cool. What a creative visual metaphor the "mixed up" shadow is! If you're reading the hardcover, make sure to check out the embossed boy on the bicycle (we'll find out who he is later!). That small raised detail really fools the eye into thinking the image is 3D, making the shadow even more powerful.

> I really like how Scholastic has used the fonts on the covers of Gordon Korman's recent books to "brand" them with a distinctive and unifying look and feel. The all-caps, freehand font of the title MIXED UP seems to be the same as for RESTART, WAR STORIES, LINKED, and THE FORT. And the same style has been used for Gordon Korman's name on the cover of every Scholastic-published book since RESTART in 2017. Check out the back cover to see those books' covers, plus a couple earlier ones from before the design scheme began. (Books designed by Balzer and Bray don't follow the format so it must be a Scholastic thing.)

> I wonder if the cover's bright yellow background is a throwback to the many yellow Scholastic paperbacks from GRK's early days. Most of the Macdonald Hall books, both Bugs Potter stories, No Coins, Please, I Want to Go Home!, and Radio Fifth Grade all had a mass-release paperback edition designed in the 1980s with "Scholastic yellow" covers.

> Just like with THE FORT, one little easy-to-overlook detail is pretty cool: Scholastic chose the color of the tweed hardcover to coordinate with the dust jacket design. It's a small detail but the effect is nice when viewing the purple top of the hardcover peeking out from under the jacket, matching the purple text and that embossed t-shirt.

> The back flap of the jacket continues Scholastic's use of two things I think are errors: First, spelling "Macdonald Hall" with an extra capital ("MacDonald Hall"), and second, saying GRK wrote his first book when he was 13 (I think he wrote it at 12 and signed a publication contract at 13).

> A few comments on pages prior to the story's beginning: The list of GRK's previous books on the page fronting the title page uses the correct orthography of "Macdonald Hall." I wonder what the reasoning was for which of GRK's 101 previous books got included and which were omitted, as several out-of-print titles appear while some newer ones are absent. … MIXED UP has two half-title pages, which I think is unusual on its own, and the font on these pages is different from the one used on the cover. … And, of course, my new favorite page in this or any Gordon Korman book is the dedication. I never thought I'd see another mention of Raymond Jardine in print, and this one is so personally gratifying that I get a thrill every time I see it.

[Jade]

I just finished reading it and it's... really good. It wasn't "dark" but more heavy in the way that OPERATION DO-OVER was at the beginning. The twist at the end was really good. I won't spoil anything but there was a lesson to be learned in that story and I'm really glad Gord was the one to teach it.

Anyway, about all the awesome things Mr. Raymond has said!

The tomato garden! That was an awesome memory to use rather than something sad as it would just weigh on us more. I feel like it was a great segway into the next person's POV (in which, he's my favorite character. Declan is a close second.)

The cover is wonderful. Oh, I see how the shadow works now, that makes so much sense! I didn't even notice at first. Just like how you wouldn't notice that you had memories of a tomato garden at first, since you're probably not thinking about tomatoes that much. I like how the mysterious character that we totally aren't going to meet on page 11 is looking off into the distance, upward, and he seems either amazed or like he doesn't know where he is. The purple and yellow on the cover look really good together. As they should, according to color theory, but still! Great choice. 

I notice that the font is all the same too. I notice some other authors do that (for example, Colleen Hoover). It's really distinctive and it just brings me great memories, since I now associate that font with the greatest author to ever auth a middle-grade book ever! Maybe the color is a throwback, it certainly reminds me of those colors. That kind of seems like a testament to how different this book is--it's not quite like Gord's other recent releases, other than the fact that it talks about how bad COVID was. I really like the slightly heavier topics though. Seems more real, and I connect with the characters so much more (I'll never forget you, CJ!). I really think that this cover design is really good. Especially the back, because the quote is so true! No matter how simple, small-scale, large-scale, or different a book is, it always has a depth that pulls you into the reader's lives and you just don't want to look away. Especially in this book. I was laughing so many times. 

Yeah, I noticed the age thing in the back too. Oh well. Maybe Gord will have 'em fix it. (to Gord: Will you?)

Mr. Raymond, I think that dedication will be the first and last time I ever see an @ symbol on that page. It was so cool. I'm super happy for you!

 

Be blessed,
Jade

[Jade]

Anddd none of my very long text got sent. Okay. Well, I was supposed to be studying anyways.

I'll speech-to-text it later. After my work is done.

Be blessed (squared),

Jade

[Jena Harper :)]

I tryed to read only the first chapter but it was really good so I let myself read the second one too and then I got half way thru the book before I remembered to stop. :) My book is an ebook so I do'nt see all the parts of the book that Raymond Jadine talks about but that sounds cool. I do'nt think the book is for sale in Australia yet so I am happy to have the ebook.

I need to go back to read the beginning again because I forget the stuff about covid. I like what Jade says about Declan I have a schoolmate named Declan who is sometimes mean but not as bad as the boy in the book.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 2 (Theo):

> I've read a few times about the importance of an opening line in a book's success. "I see the teeth first, with the sunlight gleaming off of them. I can't believe how big they are." — I would love to know if a Scholastic editor considered or suggested moving this chapter to the start of the book just for that line!

> I will admit when I first read this book I wondered if Jaws the rabbit was the reason for the "Easter" colors on the cover design.

> Theo has a relatable relationship with both of his parents. It's got to be miserable to feel like you're not living up to your dad's expectations. And it's kind of refreshing to read that Theo talked to his mom about his "my memories are not my own" problem... it's good to read about all kinds of parent/child relationships, including ones with some healthy openness.

> Just like with Reef in the previous chapter, we see a couple of conflicts/challenges identified immediately for Theo. His father's attempts to toughen him up ... his social hesitation ... and then of course the bucktoothed garden-wrecker.

Jena and Jade, you've both mentioned Covid in Reef's story from chapter one. Is that something you've seen in other books this year? I've noticed it showing up in some of the adult contemporary fiction books I've read recently.

And, Jade, you commented about some "heavy" topics in GRK's recent books. I suspect from the large amount of buzz from teachers and librarians that educators love using RESTART and THE FORT and OPERATION DO-OVER and some others as a fun way to introduce difficult topics. That was also true for THE JUVIE THREE and POP and all of the adventure trilogies, but I feel like there was a shift in tone with RESTART's approach, and MIXED UP has the same sort of vibe.

-----

Hoping some additional readers find this book club thread as the new week begins and share their thoughts. Even if it's just a favorite quote or a question about something in the chapter.

[Jade]

Yes! We've gotten to Theo! Like Mr. Raymond was saying, the introduction was really good. That hook definitely got me reading the chapter. I was immediately interested in what Theo was talking about. I hadn't even thought of the Easter colors but that makes sense too. 

Yeah, Theo's relationship with his parents is written pretty well. As a girl who was put in karate when I was 10, and my dad successfully embarrassed me by buying the wrong gi, I get what Theo is talking about. His reticence to hang out with the other kids is so relatable. I find it hard in general to just randomly... go up to people. Especially kids I'll be seeing every Tuesday and Thursday, was it? But yeah! Anyway, I really like when kids don't tell their parents what's going on. It adds to the mystery and gives me a jolt of anticipation, as a kid myself. In this case, I like that he told his mom. And I like that his mom read his "diary" (LOL) and admitted to it. My mom definitely would. I think she has, actually. Anyway, it's good, because it encourages kids to talk to their parents about stuff going on in their lives. I know that when I was a 5th grader, I took Gord's books like the Holy Grail. I definitely would have, had a situation like that arose. (arisen?)

Jaws is awesome. Theo's dad, I understand him. He's trying to be a good dad, but he just doesn't understand his son. But he's trying. The conflicts are introduced very bluntly and I appreciate that.

Nah, I've only ever seen COVID mentioned in one book--OPERATION DO-OVER. It was so mind-boggling the first time (not bad weird, I was just surprised) but it makes sense. This is Realistic Fiction. I suspect I'll be seeing a lot more of it in books now, since all of the books traditionally written then will have been published by now.

Yeah, about the heavy topics, I agree. Gord really does have a superpower at writing funny stuff with the right hint of serious, or serious stuff with the right hint of funny. What can I say? He's SUPERGIFTED! But yeah, MIXED UP does have the same sort of vibe. I'm glad Gord is introducing these kinds of things in books. They're kind of UNTEACHABLE topics--okay, I'll stop. But seriously! Kudos!

 

Be blessed,

Jade

 

P.S. (I hope more people see this too. Will definitely tell my friends. I'd honestly forgotten my love for reading! So glad this has gotten me to remember--or else, I woulda had to get SCHOOLED. (I'm absolutely hilarious. I know.))

[Raymond Jardine]

"Nobody invited me." That's Theo's excuse for not joining in the post-practice outing, and the same words went through my mind so often (and through my lips occasionally) when I was young that they are an indelible part of my psyche. Jade, you've said that's relatable for you, too. I wonder if that's a commonality for a lot of GRK's audience. I think he said once his overall "genre" is that he writes friendship stories, and that really rang true when I thought about it. So many of his characters struggle to connect while yearning for connection. And most of his stories model friendship-building within real-world relationship dynamics. 

P.S. Jade: Keep it up and you'll become NOTORIOUS for your wordplay. 

[Jade]

Yeah, there is a lot of stuff about being an outsider in many of Gord's books. Honestly, it's inspiring to see these people make friends all of the time. Makes it feel a little bit more possible for me. It probably is a commonality! Kids who read books are more often than not loners/don't have many friends if any. At least, at my school. In 6th grade, I used to read books all of the time, walk in the hallways reading a book, my nose always in between two pages. I'd always be alone looking at nature, reading a book, or both. Which is why I had very few friends. In 7th grade, one of my best friends, Sam* would always read a book too. She preferred reading over talking to anyone, I think. We both still read now, but we talk about books together and with Ruby* who brought us together. It's nice now. But it is a commonality.

Anyway, Chapter 3! We're back to Coral Reef now. This chapter talks a lot of how he's different and how he doesn't think he belongs, not anymore. The facts about him not being in the wrong (DECLAN) but still feeling guilty because it was him who imposed on their lives. And the things about the world not stopping even when yours crashes down. I haven't experienced it before, but... it's so weird to watch that happen. Like when an aunt or uncle passes away, you don't just go to sleep forever. You get up the next day and the day after that even if it starts to feel a little grey. But life is ruthless and it just... goes on. Doesn't stop for you. That's the hard part.

A mental breakdown is a great way to excuse Theo's memories. Jaws! He's such a great rabbit. I like him even though he can't even talk. The short part about Coral Reef's hamster, Vanilla, was really sad. Like, really sad. And the part of him forgetting his mother was very well done. I would be extremely mad at myself if I began to forget my own mom, especially if she was the only one I had my entire life. There's just something different than recognizing a picture and remembering. It's the difference between retelling a story your mom told you than actually remembering being a part of the story. It's just like his entire life was a boat that flipped over and he's not strong enough or determined enough to flip it over again. Like he's fine with wading in the waters for a while. Maybe even the rest of his life.

-- Kickball was a really good introduction to that. And as someone who played Kickball in 5th grade, that's kind of relatable. I wasn't a fanatic or anything, but I was there.

What did y'all think of this chapter?

Be blessed,

Jade

*Not their real names.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 3 (Reef):

> Everything in the first couple of chapters pointed to the likelihood MIXED UP will be a serious story without easy solutions for the two main characters' consequential problems. But the premise from book previews—two schoolkids have a weird memory swap—could certainly have gone a different, zany direction. This could have been a silly and lighthearted romp through middle school for two guys who perform parlor tricks based on knowing each other's thoughts. Chapter 3 clears up any lingering doubt when Reef solemnly worries that remembering things wrong is a sign of an impending breakdown. 

> And what a troubling, upsetting, raw description of how Reef is responding to grief: "I'm not lost. It's more like, when something really, really bad happens, you stop caring. About everything. I don't have friends anymore. They're still around, giving me space, waiting for me to be ready to come to them. But I'm not sure it's ever going to happen."

> I love the list of Reef and his mother's pets. I have had all of them at some point: hamsters and gerbils, guinea pigs, lizards, turtles. I think the menagerie helps paint a picture of Reef's former home life, with all the love and care attendant to so many pets, and sets up the stark contrast with his current situation without pets and without someone to love and care for him.

> @Jade, I appreciate your analogy about grief/despondency being like a capsized boat. It makes a good mental image of the helplessness and gloom Reef is feeling. 

> I was M-A-D when Declan threw the book at Reef, breaking his mother's framed photo. I could really feel the loss of something so personal, so important. I wanted to be Reef for that moment, borrowing a karate move to get back at the guy who's tormenting him.

> But I couldn't help being a little amused by a memory when Declan tells Reef, "You'll pay for that." Not funny at all, of course. It's an ugly threat and you just know the "payment" will be steep. BUT... back in another Gordon Korman book, a sibling promises to exact revenge and that time it WAS funny. So anyone who hasn't read A SEMESTER IN THE LIFE OF A GARBAGE BAG, put that on your to-be-read #TBR list. You'll find out what happens when a little sister swears to get even. "Nicolette Delancey could carry a grudge into the twenty-third century and still be just as mad as if the offense had occurred yesterday."

[Jena Harper :)]

I was'nt able to come to the book club yesterday so I am catching up. Jade how can Declan be your favourite character he's so mean. Did you mean to say him? Or some one else. Raymond Jadine I'm unsure what you mean about not being invited is that something you mean about you or do you mean Theo? I have not read anymore after reading half the book but I think you are both right that this is a serious book. I read ReStart and also Schooled they are also serious books I think. I think Reef needs another pet. what happened to all the pets him and his mom use to have? I would love to have a guinea pig but all I'm allowed to have is a fish tank. 

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 4 (Theo):

> We would laugh at English teachers if they came into class and practiced reading tea leaves or pulled out a deck of tarot cards, but it's so totally normal that they teach about "looking for symbols" in literature that we would feel something amiss if they didn't point out the snake in Harry Potter as an indicator of corruption or evil intent... Daisy's green light in The Great Gatsby as a symbol of the intertwining of love and money... the mockingjay as a stand-in for the unintended consequences of our actions in The Hunger Games. Theo's psychiatrist, Dr. Abagnale, must have a teacher's heart because she really jumps all over the symbolism of the rabbit and the school with a cupola that is one of Theo's unexplained memories.

> Theo's dad reminds me of Frank Ambrose (RESTART) because Theo says his father told him "middle school was the happiest time of his life." I think of high school as a more common age range for "glory days." It's funny that both Chase and Theo do NOT agree with their dads!

> We're only four chapters into the story and already some of the "wrong" memories are making sense. We as the readers know more than Theo does about what's going on, because we've seen Reef experience the rock that Declan hurled at him. Gordon Korman get a lot of comments about using multiple narrators or alternating points of view. He does this extraordinarily well: The story progresses without feeling like we're seeing every moment twice, but at the same time I don't feel like I'm missing anything important from one protagonist just because the other protagonist is narrating a particular time period. (By chance, I read something the other day about literature written with multiple first-person narrators. I think of it as a newer writing technique but William Faulkner was doing it almost a century ago, and Wilkie Collins was writing detective stories and mysteries in the mid-1800s.)

@Jena Harper: My comment about the reaction to "not being invited" is that I experienced a similar worry when I was young as Theo does after his karate practice. It's uncomfortable to feel excluded but Theo's dad is at least partially right, sometimes the best thing is to just join the group instead of letting yourself feel left out. You picked two great ones with RESTART and SCHOOLED. I agree, both of those are books with good life lessons (in addition to being fun and sometimes funny reads). 

[Jade]

And... I just clicked out of my entire tab and lost the message. That's what I get for trying to use puns.

[Jade]

Yeah so I just lost that entire message but that's okay because now I'm going to use my voice to speak. I think that this chapter was really good! I really enjoyed Theo's chapters. I think that his dad is really funny because his relationship with his daughter is adorable. it's really nice to see dad's trying to relate with their kids, and it's even better when dads do relate with their kids like Theo's dad does with Kristi. He does remind me a bit of Frank Ambrose.

 

I really like the way that Gord has been weaving the memories together. It never feels like something is being repeated too often. It has really good pacing and it's actually more interesting to see Theo see Coral Reef’s memories or vice versa then them living it out. Gord is extremely gifted at writing multiple perspectives. I thought that everyone was able to do that but it’s actually a bit of a superpower. (Fun fact: This is the part of the message where I tried to use a pun and then I lost it all!  but now I'm redoing it because I am no SLACKER.)

 

I think that the shrink was really funny. she may be a teacher at heart because of all those symbols. It was hilarious to think about how everybody was thinking Theo was crazy because he saw a rabbit.  Jaws is just a great aspect of the book. 

 

I also like the snippet of Kristi and Theo's relationship we got to see when they talked a little bit about the soccer ball.  Theo's family is just very wholesome even though they have their own issues. That's also a big reason I like his Parts more; he's not super traumatized,  and he is much funnier. Coral Reef is still great though.

 

 I also really like that paragraph about Theo and gardening. there's kind of a stigma around boys that do gardening because other than teenagers they seem different. This isn't different in a bad way but gardening is kind of an old people thing. However, I really like the fact that Theo likes gardening. Theo makes gardening look cool(er): it doesn't have to be an old people thing anymore!

 

 @Jena,  yes I did mean to say Declan.  He  he is a bad boy at the beginning of the book but as the story progresses he gets much more three-dimensional and much sweeter. Sweeter in the molasses way. That’s all I’ll say: I won't spoil anything!

 

Reese is a sad mess and Theo is a bumbling mess. It's a very good parallel! 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 5 (Reef):

> Reef introduces (and shoots down) the possibility he's suffering from some form of amnesia. If this book becomes a movie, I hope the director will make sure a copy of RESTART is sitting on Reef's desk during this scene. Or POP or OPERATION DO-OVER if we extend what *might* be wrong with Reef to include possible head injury. Fun school project for some middle-schooler some day: Write an essay on how GRK's stories explore "cerebral" abnormalities--dementia, traumatic brain injury, amnesia, time travel, memory-swapping--and how the afflicted characters overcome these challenges.

> I am re-reading the book, one chapter per day, to be fresh for this book club discussion. It's been several months since I read it the first time, so I know the general story but not the whole book, line by line. I am trying to balance "reading the story on its own merit" with "evaluating and interpreting where the story fits in within the Kormanverse." Well, I know the first time I read chapter 5 a specific line didn't stick out to me as anything other than exposition, but this time its words made me think of TWO unrelated older GRK novels. "If there's one thing the kids at this school are good at, it's not caring about somebody's lousy luck." (Any Korman Classics fans care to guess which books came to mind?)

> One of the compelling storytelling techniques GRK uses is cascading conflicts. Reef is already dealing with his mother's death (and his feeling he's at fault) plus Declan's terrible behavior plus having a series of false memories. But up until now Declan has hidden what he's doing--the elbow jabs and chucked rocks happen when no one else is looking. Surprise--it's going to get worse for Reef! Declan's setting him up as a thief just introduces MORE stress in an already turbulent time for Reef, but what's worse is that Reef actually begins to question whether he may be guilty.

@Jade, maybe it's time to RESTART your computer--just turn it off and leave it UNPLUGGED for a couple minutes. Or DIVE deep into whatever problem is causing it to erase all your posts. 

More seriously, I'm glad you brought up the relationship between Theo's father and Kristi. That makes him seem more loving, more tolerable, but also serves to magnify how he and Theo don't get along. And good thought on Theo and gardening, too. When characters in books have less common habits or hobbies, it makes doing those things feel a little less weird for readers with similar interests. I wonder if GRK got nastygrams from the world's vegetable garden lobby after the--uh--unexpected method of watering the garden in THE FORT.

[Jade]

Raymond, I'm addressing what you said last first because that's too funny not to start with. I remember reading that part of THE FORT at 4 in the morning last year. I laughed so hard! I was flabbergasted but really amused. That's not the first time I've read of that kind of "watering" before.

Were you talking about DON’T CARE HIGH? I’m actually reading that book right now, which is why I wonder. Classic it is indeed! The people are so different, but so blatantly teens!

Chapter five was a good one. You’re right–Reef’s life is just beginning to crumble faster and faster. The beginning was a great introduction to how the memory-swapping is not gonna be a funny, unimportant thing. If Reef forgets things that happens not even a week ago, he can forget anything, right? And unlike with his mom, the memory wasn’t just blurry. It wasn’t there. It makes the reader think that he can entirely forget about whole chunks of his life, and that makes us a lot more invested in the book.

Also, Reef not being able to know if he was the one who committed the crime of obliterating the wall was good. Just makes the realize just how serious the situation is, ‘cuz we know what happened, but he doesn’t.

I like the speculation about if the gained and lost memories are connected. It plants a seed in the reader’s head. I also like the use of Google. See, I used to read a bunch of books set forever ago or not pertaining to using the internet. Anyway, this led to me not reading about kids Googling stuff very often. It’s nice to see it in here, and it’s nice to see it done well. Not enough to kill the plot (by revealing everything), but not vague enough to be filler and deliberately making the characters seem obtuse.

The small scene about Portia totally could have been left out but I think it’s important that Gord put it in there. Shows how Coral Reef really feels about Portia! Now we know for sure that he does not hate her, and that there may have been something between them in the past. But now, their relationship is much more complicated due to his mom’s death, the circumstances, and his coping mechanisms.

The part about Declan framing Reef is totally expected for a guy like him. Adds more character to Declan to show just how devious he is and just how much he doesn’t care for Reef. I think it’s more of “I don’t wanna get caught and I want $200 so I’ll use this scapegoat” than “I hate Reef” in Declan’s mind. The best part, though, was Jenna. She really does care about Reef. And her mothering of her kids (especially Declan) has prepared her to deal with a “thieving kid”. She also probably sees his mom in Reef she sees him. Jenna is such a nice person and not just a pitying friend. This scene proves that.

Be blessed,
Jade

(P.S. This message is a little janky. Forgive my home-made tabs that are totally not me holding my finger on the spacebar for random intervals of time.)

[Jade]

Dude! It got rid of my "tabs" anyways! Maybe that's for the best. The message looked very raggedy before the website made it more presentable.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 6 (Theo):

> Coming up with funny rock band names is one thing. Rattling off five silly rabbit repellant brands is next-level stuff. Hare-Today-Gone-Tomorrow for the win!

> Another reference to peeing and gardens?!?

> "What the—" He says a lot more, but his voice gives out on him... (Theo's dad after he tastes the rabbit repellent "soup"). I have never cataloged the varied euphemisms for cussing in Gordon Korman books but if I ever do, here's one for the list.

> You know Theo is a good guy when he is conflicted about what he hopes regarding Jaws. He doesn't want his father (and sister) to kill the wascally wabbit, he would just like Jaws to limit his path of destruction in the garden. (And clearly Kristi is in the same camp, even if she doesn't want to admit it to their father!)

> What a cool twist when Mr. Metzinger complains to Theo that "nothing I do will ever be good enough for you." 

@Jade: I love that you recognize the genuine goodness of Jenna. It's easy to read Reef's chapters and get caught up feeling like he does, his perspective of being alone in the world. But Jenna is a nice example of sometimes there are people in our lives who care about us and we don't recognize it or don't fully appreciate how much we matter to others. It's a good affirmation to store away for dark moments.

Yes, I was talking about DON'T CARE HIGH (the not caring part), and also A SEMESTER IN THE LIFE OF A GARBAGE BAG (the lousy luck part). I suspect GRK sometimes gets tired of hearing references to his early books and, you know, fair enough. But I've heard a few fans say the humor in those books transcended mere laughter while reading the funniest parts. The stories genuinely shaped the way they perceived the world. If you're reading some of those books for the first time, I hope you get the same thrill and that you, too, will be blessed/cursed with forevermore finding situations in your own life where you are reminded of the wit and wisdom of Mike Otis, Rootbeer Racinette, Douglas Fairchild, Phil Baldwin, Mike Webster, etc., etc.

 

[Jena Harper :)]

Jade and Raymond Jadine you have so many things to say about every chapter I had to look back to see some of it I'm in chapter 18 now and do'nt remember some of those things in the first parts. Jade I will have to trust you about Declan he seems pretty rotten to me. I was kind of confused by some of the memories who did what with the rock but know I see how their minds are swapped. Yes Jade I liked that they used google in the book it makes it feel more like real people and real life. I think I want to read Do'nt Care High now it sounds funny. I really like that Jenna is a nice person and it's nice shes clucky about Reef almost like he is her son! I plan to read the rest of the book over Saturday.

[Jade]

 Chapter 6

 

Andddd we’re back to Theo! I really enjoy how short and sweet these chapters are. It allows you to get the best out of what you see. 

 

This chapter was tiny for plot development but important for character relationships. Other than the fact that it was so funny, the rabbit chase and all, but it showed me that Theo’s dad is really trying to bond with his son. (A really cute part of Theo and Kristi relationship is how she was rooting for Jaws too!)

 

This also shows us how smart Jaws is! The smartest rabbit along with the most clever rabbit is an awesome combination! It’s so funny how Theo’s dad hoped around town after tasting “dinner”. Does this mean that Theo can cook, even a little bit?

 

The best part were all of the contraptions and traps and tricks Theo’s dad set up for Jaws. None of ‘em worked!

[Jade]

Sorry! I was at a sleepover yesterday, there wasn’t much time for me to write and I was very tired. Guys, it can be really hard to see the good in our circumstances but it’s always great to appreciate someone who cares for us (Jenna, in Coral Reef’s case). Jena, yeah, you’ll just have to trust me, but Declan DOES get better! Anyway, chapter 7: Reef. 

This is a REALLY short one. I like the introduction to the chapter, it’s a pretty good hook. Reef is surprisingly reasonable about the entire ordeal. He must be very focused on not getting sent to the crazy house for not remembering his crime or stuff. Maybe this is a difference in boys and girls. Maybe it’s a difference in grieving Reef and literally everyone else. But I know as me, I would be so sad and angry at the accusation, like the last thing I had left was my integrity and someone tried to steal it from me. And seemingly got away with it. I would cry about that. 

I appreciate the detail of trash in a not-tiny household. I do chores for my family but it’s only three of us and we don’t eat three meals a day and such so we really don’t have the kind of trash that Coral Reef’s new family does. I’d never thought about it until I read this.

I’m surprised at how he handles Declan. A real git if you’ve ever seen one. Maybe grief has mellowed Reef out so much that he doesn’t care to yell at Declan or anything. Or maybe he’s just been doing this for over a year now, his animosity is nothing new, so Reef just gave up at doing something about it. I did like how he took a breather (really long breather imo) to run to his mom’s old job, to get away. It was kind of heartbreaking, just a little.

Just another reminder of how this book is actually serious. His mom is gone. For good. And he is losing the only memories he has of her. I felt for Reef, reading that. I felt a lot for him. Losing the last thing you had of your mother. That’s really, really hard, no matter who you are.

The mysterious and shocking part is the memory, and the first plant of them finding the connection to each other. Who is Theo? Reef asked. Soon, that question will be answered for him. That part was just so cool!

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 7 (Reef):

> YES! Bugs Potter had a band called Garbage (and now we all do, in a case of life imitating art). And there was that one book with "Garbage Bag" in the title. Now, Reef Moody's answer to earning $200 is "garbage." (The following is not at all interesting but I will share it anyhow: My grandmother thought "garbage" was one of the most vulgar of curse words—it's trash, please!—so every time I see the word I sort of flinch like a Hogwarts student hearing someone drop "Voldemort" into conversation.)

> "It's gross, but at least it's boring too." - classic inner dialogue humor!

> Reef is spiraling. The trash duty isn't fun, sure, but he's got a lot worse going on. He feels like his new "family" doesn't care about him enough to even notice the bullying he's getting from Declan. What's more awful than feeling unseen, unworthy of notice? Well, in Reef's case, there IS worse. Two pages later, he's unable to remember his own mother. We as the readers have a lot of pitying to do in five pages of story! Like @Jade said, we're getting regular reminders this is a serious book (but the humor just fits perfectly and lightens the reader's load a lot!)

> "Theo? Who's Theo?" - whooaaa!

@Jade, you said exactly what I was thinking: These short chapters go quickly! But each one adds some character development or piles on to the mystery of the mistaken memories. @Jena, I can totally see where somewhere along the way it becomes hard to remember which are the real memories and which are the shifted ones. Especially when we're "seeing" some of the memories through both sets of eyes.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 8 (Theo):

> Chapter 8 introduces the first indication Theo and Reef could cross paths in the real world (instead of just in their minds): Theo gets some information on the location where some of his false memories might have happened and makes moves to follow up on it.

> Interestingly, that revelation comes at exactly the expected time if you follow the "quarter by quarter" story structure model. Chapter 8 concludes the first quarter of the book, which fits perfectly with the idea that the first quarter of a story should introduce the protagonist's challenge; the second and and third quarters should be her/his/their work to resolve the challenge plus the introduction of additional obstacles; and the final quarter should be resolution.

> The bicycle pictured on the cover is introduced! It's the very last word in the chapter, but it still counts. 

> "Sometimes Jaws leaves the kale. Now I'm positive he's smart. Nobody likes kale." - Yikes! President Bush (the elder) got himself in some hot water for saying he didn't like broccoli. In a show of force, the broccoli growers consortium sent 10 truckloads of the veggie to the White House. I can just imagine the kale growers federation leader telling GRK, "If you don't take back that insult, I'm going to kale you!"

[Jade]

This was one of the coolest chapters! I like how Theo's dad took Jaws' escape personally. Theo's mom wanting the traps gone is so realistic, I like how Gord doesn't forget about the rest of the family when he writes. It warms me how Theo wasn’t losing vegetables anymore, only his family when his dad used the traps. The part where Theo talks about him playing up Jaws to be some sort of hero, when he’s really not, was super realistic. It’s a lesson a lot of us need to learn. What “idea” we have of something won’t always be the same as the real thing.

It was a hard truth when we realized Theo’s dad was gonna kill Jaws. It’s like how life is a dream until it’s not anymore, how it’s real and brutal. Theo defending Jaws with karate was a nice part. I don’t know if Theo naturally remembered the move, or if it was from Reef’s memories (he seemed confused), but I like how Theo can actually fight. Kind of. Don’t hit your parents, kids.

It was really heartwarming when Theo’s dad was proud of Theo for knowing to fight. Standing up for himself. Not being a wimp. 

The funeral part was very mindblowing for Theo though. He seemed scared, probably like “am I going crazy?”. 

Theo remembering Coral Reef’s school from the cupola on the TV was so cool! Great way to start tying things together, Gord. I like how Theo became adventurous (I know he was always curious) and it was soo cool how Theo planned to go! Made me excited to read the next chapter. I also really like “new beginning” types of things, so that felt great.

Quarters, quarters, quarters. That’s cool! Wanna know what’s funny? This is the first quarter of us reviewing the book! 

Yes, this was around the time I realized it was Theo on the cover. How cool!

 

“I’m going to kale you!” LOL! That is so funny. Thanks for the imagery, Raymond!

You know, I almost didn't do this right now. I was going to say, I'll do it later today. But sometimes we all need to take a break and enjoy the bright spots. This is a bright spot in my day.

Be blessed,
Jade

 

[Jena Harper :)]

I take as much time to read you lot as it takes to read the chapter it's so nice to see all this beautiful back ground stuff I did'nt even see when I read the book. Strewth I'm almost out time to post by the time I finished reading but it's so fun to read all these smart things. I like the short chapters too Jade I have'nt got to finish the book yet so I still do'nt like Declan but I do trust you! :) Raymond Jadine I did'nt think of it that way seeing the same thing through both sets of eyes that is really confusing but sweet as. I am not sure I get the quarter by quarter thing but we are even more then a quarter because I am reading on e-book and it tells me 26% after chapt. 8 ends. I do not agree about being weirded by Theo's Dad when he wants to kill the rabbit they are so big of a problem we do'nt even live in a place with lots of them but people kill them all the time they cause so much problems. Do kids really want to stop their Dads from snuffing rabbits there I thought it was just Theo being sensitive? They should put a rabbit on the cycle with Theo on the book photo :)

[Jade]

Oh, it wasn’t the actual part where Jaws was gonna die that was the “weird” part. It was like a metaphor for life. We think something is all a joke and all fun and games until it’s just not anymore. Maybe like… how Reef’s life is all normal, fun, basic, until his mom dies and it leaves a chasm in the normal “eat-sleep-talk to mom” repeat thing. Like how our life falls into a routine, always a cat and mouse, someone chasing, someone running, and we get so used to it. Like we’re not seeing it through the real lenses until something shocking happens… oh I don’t know how to explain it. But it’s metaphorical. Not actually about Jaws. About how we get used to something until our whole world is rocked and we’re left with a hole in our routine.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 9 (Reef):

> The chapter identifier says "Reef Moody," but these five pages are all about Declan Helmer. Or, more precisely, they are about the Reef/Declan relationship.

> And these few pages are huge: They seem to—maybe, perhaps, possibly—introduce a crack in the wall between Reef and Declan.

@Jena, I think it's less about rabbit eradication and more about Theo realizing he has a personal connection with this particular rabbit. It no longer feels like pest control, more like a crime. The "quarters" thing was just an observation: Some authors plan their books super carefully so that the story action reaches specific milestones by certain points in the book.

@Jade, I am glad you took the moment last night to share your thoughts. I am having such a fun time with this daily few minutes of exploring MIXED UP and seeing it through the eyes of other readers as well. 

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 8 (Theo):

> Cue the spooky music when Theo realizes he recognizes buildings and people he's never encountered before!

> "Onions don't need much in the way of conversation." sounds a lot like a line from a Gavin Gunhold poem.

> Theo's awkward discomfort, and Portia's breezy, confident nonchalance, are everybody's memories of the social divide in junior high/middle school!

> Whaaat?!? Is Theo really pumping himself up by repeating his father's advice for ruling the school?

> Theo's false memories are getting specific: He knows Portia by face AND name; he can recall the name of the food bank that he associates with her; and—the big one—he recognizes the face that he has "seen" in his unexplainable memory. 

[Jade]

So sorry I didn’t say anything yesterday! I forgot what happened, but I didn’t have the book. My bad, y’all.

Dude, the memory! Reef must have had a huge crush on Portia to remember all of that detail. Maybe. Maybe not. But that’s interesting.

I really like how Theo’s like “you have to invite yourself” like his dad said. 

It was so cool seeing Theo planning on ditching school! I could never do something like that so the anticipation was awesome. So much action too. I also like how Theo rode his bike. I also have a bike, and it makes me realize that I don’t need my mom’s car to go everywhere (I don’t need her to drive me!)

I really like the detail to Theo’s basket case. That made me giggle the first time I read it. I don’t even have a basket case on my bike! 

Instead of Theo just getting straight to the school, adding him have no idea how to get there was a nice try-fail or no, but or something. I like how he knew how to get to the bank via Reef’s memories. 

Like Raymond, you said, Theo’s dad’s advice was actually helpful for my life too. I like how Theo kind of winged that entire situation. He didn’t know a single one of those kids. He remembered remembering Portia from a memory that wasn’t even his! That scene was so cool, especially how he was like “uh… food bank?” and she just took his word for it! Inviting yourself to places, yeah. When you have a mission, you’ve just got to make it work. Thanks, Theo’s dad.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 11 (Reef):

> Okay, so I think Gordon Korman was an only child. But with all the horrible things he imagines for Declan to do to Reef, there has to have been someplace he witnessed some really creative evil genius at work. Planting shrapnel to destroy the vacuum bags?!?

> Short chapter for Reef! Theo's really carrying this part of the story. But it's good to catch a glimpse of Reef long enough to reinforce how he's carrying on.

> I do not like Principal Latimore. (I mean, I don't respect her actions. Her character is perfect for the story.) 

> "Basket Case." That's how Reef has heard Theo mentioned. What a cool nickname to give, and an awful nickname to receive.

@Jade makes an interesting observation that Theo is able to channel Reef's strongest feelings especially intently--like the loss of his mother, and his attraction to Portia. The connection between Voldemort and Harry Potter behaved similarly, with strong emotions being the ones most easily (inadvertently) shared. I wonder how much of human emotion is transmitted between people in the real world, in ways we don't really understand. It might not rise to the level of transferring specific thoughts or memories, but we do all pick up on unspoken emotions and sometimes we even experience unconscious empathy and vicarious emotional responses.

[Jade]

I couldn't be the one to tell you why I waited until 11:34 p.m. to write this. But I'm writing it now! Chapter 11! Yippee. Wow, this IS a really short chapter. Declan is really mean to Coral Reef. That's a very malicious "older-brother" vibe going on. No spoilers... hehe. Raymond, you're right: it IS absolutely genius to plant shrapnel in the vacuum if you're aiming for supervillain apprentice.

Principal Latimore being so... professional is so different to read about! She's very, very official. (Random question, Gord. I don't know if you'll see it. But what race is she?) I have a specific image of her in my head from an amalgamation of the principals I've had in my lifetime. 

I would be really sad if my nickname was Basket Case. But it's just so funny! Theo takes it like a champ. I like how Theo looked familiar to Reef. Goes to show how much memories in the first person, a splatter or two of memories of looking in the mirror, can change so much. Simply seeing someone that looks like someone can screw your entire view of 'em! How Reef totally disregarded the other main character--the guy with his memories--as someone to pursue because his own screwed memories caused him to seem familiar. 

Emotions are so cool!

Be blessed,

Jade

(P.S. I start school tomorrow!)

[Jade]

Are you kidding me? It didn't send, again? Am starting to think the Forum hates me. Maybe I talk too much.

Sigh, let me say all of this again--and go back to writing these things in the Google Document since I've gotten to cocky. You know, not having my entire message deleted and all. The norm.

Take 2: My computer thinks that this is a game. anyway this chapter was really nice but it was really short. Declan is a bit of a supervillain or a supervillain apprentice because the things he does are just genius yet so mean. Raymond, I agree that  planting shrapnel in the vacuum bags was mischievous and villainous

 I like Principal Latimore but I was wondering what race is she?  she's kind of been an amalgamation of all of my past principles and now I'm really invested in seeing her actual image. It was really funny how Coral Reef was like I trust you but she very obviously did not feel the same way.  It made me a bit sad though how unfair Reef;s life really is; it's like he has no one on his side. 

It was so crazy to me how he entirely disregarded Theo because he thought he was familiar. That reminds me of how quickly people can disregard things– very important details– that can change their entire life.  if the situation was any less weird and Theo and reef had any other reason not to depend on each other,  Reef probably would have never talked to Theo in his life.  we as humans make so many quick and unconscious decisions that have huge impacts on the courses of our lives. 

 

Be blessed,

Jade

(P.S. I start school tomorrow! Is that a yay?)

[Jade]

My message isn't appearing, at least not to me. And I'm not writing it another time.

In summary,

Reef cool. Declan mean. Villainous. Theo familiar. Cool. Humans make quick decisions. Fast. Can be impactful decisions. Wow. Basket Case. Sad name for one. Funny name to say. 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Gordon Korman]

Poor Jade! Ever since I switched carriers, it takes quite a few minutes for a new message to appear on the Forum. So don't erase and get upset -- it will come. I promise.

Oh, and I should mention that the back-and-forth on this Book Club has been fabulous, and very satisfying to me. Sometimes I find myself saying, "Did I mean to say that?" And then, "Oh, I must have or Jade and Raymond and Jena wouldn't have seen it that way." I take credit for a lot of stuff I didn't know I did.

Thank you, people. I'm happy with your comments.                                                                     ---GK---

[Jena Harper :)]

Yeah Gordon Korman is reading this Book Club I am so stoked thank you for saying my name. Jade you say you start school are you coming back from a break we are in the middle of term 3 so you must be on other terms then us. I like the short chapters on my ebook I like to see how fast they go but I wish they would be longer to have more to know about each of them. So short makes it easy to say I will read one more chapter then I end up reading five more chapters. I had to look up basket case I do'nt think anyone has used those words so I did'nt know what they mean but now it is funny. but also sad for Theo. I think this is where I started to like Theos dad because him saying make friends was smart and Theo was able to be fast friends with Portia. I am glad you talk about how Theo and Reef see each other Jade I do'nt think I really followed that when I read the story it seemed like they saw each other and knew but did'nt know. That is so funny Raymond Jadine you do not like the Principal. :)

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 12 (Theo):

> "I'm positive that Delgado Middle School holds the key to understanding what's happening to me." — That sentence should make it into many book reports. It makes clear that Theo is astute, and sets it up so we as readers now should understand why he's decided to upend his life to spend so much time on that side of town.

> Speaking of "that side of town," I will say I'm not sure what city Theo and Reef live in. It's got to be big enough to have a south side and a west side about four and a half miles apart. But small enough that a 12-year-old would be allowed to cycle several miles to another city section. Anyone pick up on clues I've missed?

> What a fun scene at Neighborhood Harvest (Breezewood branch!) when the volunteers are having some fun in the hustle to load the truck. I love the baseball analogy and the image of catcalls and cheers when other volunteers make great "plays" during the loading process. And then the definitely illegal trip in the truck's payload area, with Theo and Portia laughing together at the absurdity of the situation. This is the middle school experience Theo's dad wants for him!

> But then. Portia dances, Theo has an unexpectedly mood-killing response, and we're reminded that Reef has some real darkness in his life, and Theo is unwittingly reliving some of it.

> "I'm Theo."
    "I—I know." 
     Whoooaaaa. What a way to meet face-to-face for the first time!

> And then the chapter ends with exactly what they're both thinking: "What's going on?" 

@Jena Harper: I read most books in e-format. This is one of the first in a long time that I've read in print! And I totally get what you're saying about how easy it is to read "just a little more." This is my second time for MIXED UP and I'm forcing myself to read one chapter a day.

@Jade: Control-C, Control-V is a lifesaver. I avoid many instances of eyes rolled heavenwards in frustration by highlighting and copying any text I've typed into web forms before submitting. Then after the inevitable occasional tech snafu when I have to redo my submission, I can just "paste" and not have to remember what I wrote and retype. (That's a general comment about the internet, not meant about the Forum exclusively.)

@Raymond Jardine: So... just noticed what should say "My comments on Chapter 10 (Theo)" from my post two days ago actually says "My comments from Chapter 8 (Theo)," because copy-and-paste is a great tool but only if you check what you're doing and adjust when needed! </self-burn>

[Jade]

TOTALLY lost track of time. High school is busy! (Maybe that’s because I’m trying to get on top of the work…)

Anyway, Theo! This chapter was awesome. It’s so cool how Theo actually enjoys serving at the food bank. That shows how you can find loads of good on your journey to do something. Theo is such a cutie pie! He’s so fun, too. I like how he’s realistic. Portia WOULDN’T be friends with a guy like “him” if he was acting as shy as he normally does. But he puts his effort into finding Coral Reef, not that he knows his name. And in his spectacular work ethic, he finds more friends and more opportunities along the way.

I like the anticipation building when Theo takes his bike down there again. It doesn’t feel like any other day the day he goes to meet Reef for the first time. (Just so you know, the last dialogue was so perfect to end on! Spectacular job, Gord.) It feels like Reef is getting to a very important stage in his journey and the entire book’s journey too! It’s rad. 

Portia is such a nice person. I like how her and Theo have that conversation about Reef. Theo’s right, too. Reef may be more inclined to talk to someone who isn’t tainted with his past memories, a time where his mom was alive. Theo’s new and only a part of the new Reef’s life.

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 13 (Reef):

> "This can't be happening!" Hahaha, I have a book with that title, exclamation point and all, and here are the same words opening a chapter.

> Okay, we knew Theo had "seen" Reef and was able to recognize his face. Now we know Reef recalls Theo from his own memories. 

> "There are things I remember that I know for a fact never happened to me." Hey, Hollywood, whenever the writers' strike ends, look Kormanward for the next blockbuster. Can't you just envision that line in a trailer for next summer's big teen flick?

> "He's not just sharing my memories; he's stealing them." Well, there's a proverbial kick to the head. And then the rest of Reef's reaction to learning that not only is Theo having flashes of Reef's life, but they're actually memories Reef no longer can draw up in his own mind. As a reader, I needed this chapter to remind me that, for Reef, this isn't fun, it's not even just weird: It's terrifying. 

@Jade, I love your comment: "you can find loads of good on your journey to do something." If we all enacted that wisdom in our own lives we'd be a lot happier and a lot more altrusitic. 

BTW, Jade's comment about being busy with school restarting is a good reminder to say to anyone else reading along but unable to jump in regularly: This is an informal chat. Check in when you can. Share what you want. It's just for fun, and no one's keeping score!

 

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 14 (Theo):

> Theo is a good guy. I didn't really doubt it, but his concern about "stealing" Reef's memories seals the deal. Theo's not blaming Reef for being short with him is a lesson in acceptance. 

> The second section of the chapter provides good background information on memory. It's fun to pick up on topics that fascinate other people. If you've read RESTART, or POP, or OPERATION DO-OVER, you know Gordon Korman has explored "memory" from several angles. 

> Something that fascinates ME is how some trademarked names/words evolve into generic terms, while others retain their "name brand" status. Within a couple of sentences in this chapter, "Ping-Pong" is presented with capital letters (the brand name for a table tennis company has been in use for well over a century) while "google" is used in lower case as a verb, despite the search company's being not quite a quarter-century old.

> It is so cool that Reef thought to ask Theo about the pocketbook thievery. Hey, ingenuity is using the tools available to you, even if it's not their intended use.

> Also cool: that Jaws thinks Reef is Snow White.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 15 (Reef):

> What a horrible thought for a 12-year-old, to contemplate that he hates everybody. 

> Such an interesting surmise/worry from Reef that "using" some of Theo's knowledge might strengthen their bond. Whatever the reason, it's good he didn't do that reverse crescent kick (or anything like it). Descending to the level of your tormentor is never a victory.

> When Reef says, "Then I say to myself, 'What do I care?'" about Declan's getting mixed up (<--see what I did there?) with "Konvict," you just know he DOES care. And that, again, it's because he's just a genuinely good guy. 

> Jenna is supposed to be a "saint" but I don't love how blind she is to Declan's actions, or to Reef's innocence.

> Declan has to work off hour sat Neighborhood Harvest?!?

[Jena Harper :)]

It is soooo sad that Theo and Reef did not make fast friends I forgot that part. Do'nt worry everyone they will not be so far apart forever I have already gone to chapters 20 and know that. :) Raymand Jadine that is so funny I did not even read the parts about memory I did not really understand them but I will go back and see if I can understand them after I finish the book maybe that will help. What do you mean Jaws thinks about Snow White was Snow White in the book I did'nt see it. Im am also so glad you do not like Jenna even though I like her name I think she is not loving Reef he is not her son she does'nt trust him but she trusts her son when he really does bad things. 

[Jade]

Hey, sorry I’ve just disappeared these last two days! Life is tiring. But you have to prioritize, and this is one of my priorities. I’ll send my thoughts on the past two chapters in a bit, but what I think for Chapter 15: (sorry I missed so much!)

 

• 
  

  There’s a huge smudge on page 109 in my book. It just came like that. It looks like a tiny gray flame, and I like it a lot!

  
  

 

It’s really sad. I think I remember feeling something like that before. Not as potent as Reef, but I know what it’s like to feel dissatisfied and distant with everyone in your life, and this was with two loving parents I could not thank enough. Reef, he’s in a new environment and he hasn’t healed from his mother’s death very much at all. Now he’s been thrown these entirely new issues, forcing him to do something, forcing him to leave his comfort zone and it must be terrifying.

 

Little boys have such strange logic. Scratch that. I think the younger you are, the more skewed your logic is. This applies to all ages. Reef’s reason for not clobbering Declan was so off the mark… but I’m glad he didn’t do it. Revenge is never worth it. In the end, you just hurt yourself more than you ever hurt them. You’ve got to move on and continue to love them. It’s the best thing you can do for the both of you.

 

But he does have a point. He can’t afford to get into any more trouble, especially with a crime he actually committed.

 

“But I’m so worthless and weak that he has nothing to fear from me.” I’m so glad he didn’t stay that way. I can’t believe there are real children who feel this way and worse. That I have real classmates that feel this way and worse. I wish we could help each other. That’s such a miserable way to live.

 

This is the part that made me really appreciate Jenna. A woman with genuinely good intent, if oblivious to her own kid’s behavior. She was totally not prepared to take in an entire new twelve-year-old and his expenses–who would be? She wasn’t expecting the grief of losing her best friend nor all of the strains inviting her grieving child into her family would come with. I can’t imagine the kinks in her and Willis’ relationship that must have happened with that decision. Kudos to the both of them.

 

“So did you.” As a person who knew what actually happened, that slightly ticked me off. As a person who knows Jenna genuinely believes he’s being hypocritical and did commit that crime, that made me realize how patient and forgiving she must be. She was raised well.

 

@Gord, you are so good at cliffhangers!

 

@Raymond, Konvict is a scary character. Very scary. There was a character similar to him in one of the other books. I don't remember the situation.

@Jena, Jenna is a good person! Just think about it from her perspective: She doesn't know Reef like his mother did. All she sees is a young boy who has been very obviously grieving and depressed for the entire past year. She doesn't know how he copes with the pain and if he even is coping. But she knows she can't treat him like an angel, that would make her own kids feel less important. And the thing, is Reef is NOT her son! She is not going to be his new mom. His mom is gone and nobody can ever replace her; I'm glad Jenna knows that. But she still needs to treat him with love and care. She just doesn't know how; kind of like Theo and his dad. And she doesn't trust Declan. She wasn't happy with whatever he did to get the police on his back. She's just trying to give equal opportunities to all of her family: Liam, Carolyn, Declan, and Reef. ('Cuz even if he isn't her kid, he's family.)

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 16 (Theo):

> Not only does Theo have to deal with Declan at the food bank, he has to do it without Portia there. Sorry, Theo, it's not your day.

> I love that, in the middle of feeling sorry for himself that he has to put up with Declan for the afternoon, Theo feels empathy for Reef because he has to put up with him all.the.time.

> The "missing" Disney World memory was a fun way for the boys to discover their shared birthday. Coincidence? I think we know it can't be a coincidence!

> With Chapter 16, we are at the half-way point of MIXED UP. According to the "quarter" philosophy of storytelling, that means we should have the protagonist(s) decide to tackle the challenge head-on. Theo's comment, "Nothing is as important as getting to the bottom of this.," and Reef's nod of agreement perfectly set up the beginning of the third quarter of the book.

@Jena, I am re-reading the book while we discuss it here in the Forum, and the information about memory really jumped out at me this time. Regarding Reef as Snow White, I just meant Jaws had come right up to him even though the rabbit was eager to run away from Theo and his father... seemed kinda like all the woodland creatures flitting about Snow White and accepting her as a good person. And regarding Jenna: Well, I think Jade has changed my mind on her. I've been seeing how she's not giving Reef exactly what he needs, but like Jade pointed out, Jenna is going through a hard time, too. And Reef didn't come with an instruction manual, so I'm being unfair if I expect her to just be perfect, immediately, in every way Reef needs her.

@Jade, Konvict reminds me of Jaeger in THE FORT--sort of a bad apple, a bit older, and into more serious crimes instead of schoolboy pranks. I like the range of antagonists in GRK's stories. They've evolved over 100-plus books to include some who are truly scary/dangerous/ill-intentioned. Konvict and Jaeger and CJ's stepfather in THE FORT are good examples.  And your comment about cliffhangers: YES! So true.

[Jade]

Yes! I knew it was THE FORT, and Jaegar was the one! Is that "Jaygarr" or "Yaygarr"? It's pronounced differently in Japanese.

Anyways, Chapter 16! (Gotta do this quick because I'm going to bed.)

 Dude, I totally get going somewhere expecting the only person you know there to be there and they don't come, and then some other obstacle goes WHAZAM! in your face! A.K.A. On the first day of school, me expecting one of my besties, Ruby*, to be there and she was sick. I just... totally resonated with that entire first page and a half. I really like Dmitri as a character. Realistic and cool, with humor, but not young enough to be twelve years old. 

Declan being that way is so... wow. There was actually a guy loitering around just like that, one of my classmates, and I can imagine almost the exact posture Declan had... Gord definitely knew children. Knows children. It's not possible for an outsider to write an eighth-grader that well!

I like how Coral Reef is capable of being realistic. Yeah, he's been letting the fact he doesn't want to face the can of worms named Theo for a while, but he does admit that they do need to work together to fix this nonsense. And the Disneyworld memory was a good memory to show that Theo really doesn't have all that much to lose, compared to Reef. They're pretty good parallels. Opposites attract (friendships), I guess?

The birthday thing is great! That's an awesome detail. Some threads and theories were beginning to form in my head thanks to that detail. This is getting cooler!

Be blessed,
Jade

 

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 17 (Reef):

> It's funny to hear Reef rag on Theo about his "gross memories." 

> And to find out it's inevitable to form a crush on Portia. 

> Between Theo's texts and Reef's visit to the Metzingers' house, it's becoming clear "the Phenomenon" doesn't involve just a few memories. And not just older ones: The Jaws trap is already gone from Theo's recollection.

> Kirkus Reviews called MIXED UP "an engaging tale of weird science," and the coincidental discovery that Reef and Theo share the same birthplace as well as the same birthdate is starting to indicate something freaky went on 12 years ago!

BTW, @Jade: Kirkus Reviews agrees with you about GRK's ability to write middle school kids, saying he presents "a convincing preteen vernacular."  

[Jade]

This chapter was so good! It’s so funny how Theo has a crush on Portia now, too. I wonder if Reef’s crush-tainted memories affected that. I find it so cute the normal things in this story. This could have very easily been an extremely depressing and “coming-of-age” story about a boy (Coral Reef) beginning to lose everything and forced into a new lifestyle in order not to lose it all. But it’s not. Thanks to Theo, it’s still coming-of-age, in my opinion, but it’s funny, is lighthearted, and is not depressing. Just kind of serious.

It was actually pretty scary when I realized how for real the memories were. I thought Theo and Reef would just get their memories fixed immediately for some reason, and I also thought it would only be small things. I didn’t expect him to lose the Jaws memory either. Ugh, Theo is so awesome! I felt a certain kind of way when Theo forgot the traps already. 

The weird science part was PERFECT! So cool! 
Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 18 (Theo):

> Good bond-building between Theo and Portia at Neighborhood Harvest when they team up to save the lockbox funds from Declan. 

> Theo, I hear you when you worry about the fading sunlight as fall ends the bright summertime evenings. For you, it's the need for a brighter bike light. For me, it's a ridiculous headlamp to be able to finish my out-of-doors chores. Not quite yet, but it's coming quickly.

> Losing your knowledge of where "home" is: Yikes! 

> Reef studied about Zambia for his social studies test, but now Theo has all the Zambian knowledge. Interesting fact: There's a star Zambian football (soccer) player who came to the USA to play at college. Her name? Memory Phiri. MEMORY Phiri. C'mon, GRK--was that the reason Reef was studying Zambia?!?

> I like Theo's analogy of a computer with deleted files. But he's right to worry about the crash.

@Jade, I hope you explore more of the coming-of-age idea in future posts (or in a month when we reflect on the book club that will then be history, or whenever you have ten seconds to stop and breathe!). It would be fun to compare Reef/Theo with other GRK characters who experience that type of life growth.

[Jade]

Chapter great. My brain? Not so great. History quiz tomorrow. Brain… hurt. Beep boop. Brain will get back to you tomorrow. Beep. Boop. Bye.

Theo. Awesome. Can. Not. Compute.

Blessings. Beep Boop.

Jade

[Gordon Korman]

Rest up, Jade. History will be fine.

And Raymond, would you be disappointed if I admit Zambia was a random choice out of the blue?       ---GK---

[Jena Harper :)]

Ok I will try to like Jenna but it wo'nt be easy she is not so nice to Reef I want her to. Raymond Jadine I thought Snow white was in that Disneyworld memory about the birth days that is why I asked about Snow white I did'nt remeber her in that memory. Jade I think you want to meet Theo and make him forget Portia :)  Noone has said anything of the Maternity scene at Hospital yet that is some of my favorite parts of the book when they go to see where they came from. Raymond Jadine what is the comong-of-age idea is that mentioned in Mix Up? Jade your beep bopp are you the computer with deleted files? 

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 19 (Reef):

> Reef gets a longer chapter! 

> When Willis comes up from doing laundry and asks if there's something Reef wants to say to him, I was sure Declan had done something else terrible that Reef will be blamed for. But the family photo is even more heartbreaking.

> Theo and Reef used some smart logic to determine the Phenomenon had to have happened when they were newborns at the hospital. 

> Fun scene in the maternity ward. Reef has a great attitude about the babies. And the idea of "rooting for" a baby seems so Kormanian. Head Nurse Nancy Turnbull... any relation to old Zephraim Turnbull, the farmer who shot Agent Harris in On the Run?

> "The crying coming from the nursery feels different now—like the babies are inviting us to join in." Ha!

@Jena Harper: You beat everyone to the hospital scene! You're right, it's a really fun setting for the boys to work together for a chapter. As for the "coming-of-age" question, I'll punt for now. I want to hear Jade's thoughts when she gets a chance. Maybe after we've all finished the book would be a good time to discuss big concepts in the story?

@Jade: You're always great about sharing them, so: #Blessings to you

[Jade]

I'm really not any good at this if you could see me now! You see, little 'ol genius me gave my friend my copy of MIXED UP so she could read it, which is AWESOME, but that means I don't have it anymore. So please forgive me if some of the things I say are not as unique as before. But yeah, situations arose last night and I just didn't end up writing on here so sorry. Let me start with the one where my brain broke from history (the quiz went well, by the way.)

Chapter 18:
I really like Theo and Portia's dynamic! They are such good friends. He, she, and Coral Reef remind me an awful lot of Ty, Ava, and that other guy (sorry) in OPERATION DO-OVER. Dude! The part about him forgetting where his house was was so scary! I couldn't imagine being in that situation. Rain, forgetting where you're even going? No adults? Those calls to Reef were desperate. That was a really good part of the story, just reinforcing that this memory loss is no joke.

Theo is just so cool for making the trek all the way to that other town what, every day? Every other day? It's just so cool and adventurous, I really like how active he is.

About Memory, that's just so funny! Zambia is a nice country, I'd say. How coincidental--wow.

The part about the computer just brought me back to Chase Ambrose immediately. Such good memories of that guy! My friend is obsessed already because she loves amnesia in books, and this is DOUBLE amnesia! She'll enjoy this book so much.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 20 (Theo):

> Portia is SO mad about Declan's laziness. And then SO open-minded about Konvict when Theo suspects he's up to no good. This is a young lady who has an idea about how the world ought to work and then lives it. We need more Portias.

> "Mr. Weak-Bladder"  🏆

> Two thousand dollars coming soon to a lockbox near you. I'm already feeling sick for Dmitri, knowing what's probably going to happen. But I don't think I'd want to be the one who stole two grand from Neighborhood Harvest if Portia ever found out. 

@Jade: You're a good friend to loan out your copy of MIXED UP. But she's going to wonder why you ask her every day to remind you what happened in one specific chapter. 😉   Your comment about RESTART/amnesia: I definitely want to hear ideas about some of the bigger themes in the book. Maybe after we've finished the chapter-by-chapter review, others who aren't interested in a daily book discussion will be more keen to take part in a thread about amnesia or memory anomalies, or coming-of-age, or other big topics raised in MIXED UP.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 21 (Reef):

> Tumbling through the door! The vacuum bag! The TV plug! The sneezing! \"Mo-o-o-om!\"   <-- Love this!

> Reef is quick to catch the significance of the \"née\" naming convention. Smart!

> I remember the monotony of scanning a moving microfiche, trying to pull information out of endless text. At least they\'re available on a computer screen now instead of those awful old green optical monitors. But the Gazette archives need some updating: They should be OCR and text searchable.

> Reef is B-R-A-V-E to talk to Declan about Konvict. And, again, it\'s so clear he\'s just a really good guy. Even if he never thinks of himself that way. (There\'s a lesson in there somewhere.)

 

[Jena Harper :)]

Yeah I am so happy you got to the Maternity scene at Hospital it made me want to go see all the new babies to see if they all look like twins. I ca'nt understand why Reef is so nice to Declin he is just allowing him to hurt him more but he is so nice after he hears the phone call with the really dangeorous boy. Theo does he really forget where to find his own house that he ca'nt find it that is hard to imagine not to know. I was so happy to read more of the ebook today I thought I could finish the book today but I have 9% still to read so I want to know how Theo and Reef swap back their memorys I hope it is not more lightening. I hope you got your book again Jade what do you mean by DOUBLE amnesia is that what Reef and Theo has?

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 22 (Theo):

> Reef, you skunk! Making Theo miss his meetup with Portia. That's playing dirty.

> I like Nancy Turnbull Giamatti. She has a fun sense of humor and finally (!!) Reef and Theo get a bit of a break in their hunt for what happened to them. And she keeps cookies on hand to offer to two random kids who show up at her doorstep, so I feel confident Nurse Nancy is a good one.

> "Most shifts at maternity are pretty boring, if you don't count the crying."

> Two newborns sharing an incubator on that fateful date!

> Lightning! (Now it's more clear why several chapter's sections are set off with lightning symbols.)

> The seven final sentences of the chapter form a picture of how the Phenomenon might have happened, and set up the inevitable response: What can the boys do about it?

[Jade]

I read a book with a plot related to lightning in 5th grade, so almost five years ago. It stuck with me. It was a good book—like a really good book. The kid liked fishing and his best friend liked turtles. Her name was Genesis, and she had two sets of twin little siblings. Ruth and Rebecca, I think, and then Mark and Matthew? They were M names I think. There was a Ruth. Lightning plots are good.

Nancy Giamatti is so cool! This is also where I learned how to pronounce “née”, I’ve always said “knee”. Thanks, Harry Potter fanfiction. Now I finally know how to pronounce the word I was too lazy to look up in Google.

The cookies were so sweet! And Mrs. Giamatti is such a character. She’s old (but not that old) and she’s nice old. I really liked how the two of them were in the little incubator together. Were they fat babies? Small babies? Did one get piled on top of the other? Were they side by side? One facing one direction and the other facing the other? How much did they weigh? Did they look the same? Did Theo have hair? Is Reef blond? So many questions.

I didn’t notice the lightning strikes or symbols but that is really cool. Harry Potter vibes! And also, weather vibes. 

The chapters in this book just end so well. I imagine flipping the page so fast because I want to know what happens next so badly because that twist was sooo cool! More more more!

Be blessed,

Jade

 

[William Moyer]

My teacher Mrs. Prentice says we have to read a book and find book reviews to share on the book we find. It has to be other peoples reviews not just our own. We have to review the book and we have to compare our own responses to the responses of other readers. Where is the book club for Restart? Restart is on the book list for us to choose from.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 23 (Reef):

> "...I'm stuck with Theo..." - Oh, Reef, you are hurting! A friend is thrust upon you and you can't even see it.

> The description of how Reef and Theo think the lightning electrified the bassinet of their shared incubator is pretty weird science. Love it! I remember as a 9- or 10-year-old taking apart an old radio and randomly rewiring pieces from other salvaged electronics, sure I was going to get a signal from outer space. The mind of a young boy is open to the powers of electronics, for sure.

> Again, Reef is *such* a nice guy when Declan is acting like *such* a jerk, and even still, Reef promises again to help him out. 

> "Tomorrow night." - Declan's got one day before he goes from kid in trouble to true juvenile delinquent. The clock is ticking!

@Jade: Lightning! Back to the Future! The Change-Up! Nine Lives! MIXED UP has such a cool setup for the lightning strike with two newborn babies!

@William Moyer: RESTART is a wonderful book! Hope you find what you need on it and then read MIXED UP when you're done.

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, William Moyer,

Thanks for posting. By now you've probably realized that MIXED UP has a Book Club, and RESTART, an older book, does not. As I understand the assignment, you have to read the book and then read some reviews of it and compare it to your own impressions, right?

SO. Read RESTART. And then ask your computer to give you some reviews of RESTART, and compare them with your own impressions. There are plenty of reviews out there, so you don't really need another Book Club.

Fair enough? Hope you enjoy the book. It's my most popular so far!        -----Gordon Korman-----

[Jena Harper :)]

Is it ok for electric in an incubater that seems to be a bad idea? Why are babies in an incubater are\'nt babies with mum when they sleep I did\'nt understand this part. and Reef & Theo are in one incubater that part I do\'nt now is that some thing that happens at Hospital? Jade I love turtles what book is that it sounds so good I want to see if I can read it. The names all are in the Holy Bible is it a kids story? William Moyer this is a club for Mix Up you can find alots of reviews for Re-Start on Restart : Korman, Gordon: Amazon.com.au: Books alot of them say it is a favourite book it was one of my favourite book to read the memory part is just like Mix Up but just one boy. Is this the part when the big storm comes that part was so exciting I ca\'nt get my ebook to go to this part now I am just looking at what Raymond Jadine and Jade say but where is the storM?

[Jade]

Jena, the book is called Lucky Strike. The kid’s name is Nate. 

The Declan situation is kind of scary. I feel bad for him. Reef is so nice to him. Go Coral Reef!

DUDES! THAT MY BROTHER LINE WAS MT VERY FAVORITE! I got so excited reading it. Declan acts younger than Reef. Or maybe he acts really old. Trauma ages people more than years of life can.

I’m glad everyone can appreciate Reef for the good guy he is. I couldn’t really tell what his personality was like until now. It’s peeking through! He’s a happy guy, a nice guy. 

Yes that scene is totally a part of coming of age. That was a turning point for Theo, wasn’t it? And it’s true. People often don’t look like how they feel.

Wow Raymond, you know an awful lot of story arcs and such. You know an awful lot on Gord, actually. I want to be like you one day.

Jena, I don’t think the babies sleep with their moms because then the moms wouldn’t sleep. You see, babies have this nasty habit of being chatterboxes, but instead of talking all the time, they’re yelling and screaming 24/7. You could probably fuel a car for a few hours off of a baby’s screaming—that has to generate some energy. I do think it’s odd theg doubled up Theo and Reef. I feel like their moms would have objected a lot, especially if one of them had autoimmune stuff. And lightning? Yeah, that’s a Phenomenon alright.

Anyway, this is the chapter where Declan starts to climb the ranks of being a favorite character.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

(Can’t believe this is almost over)

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, ladies,

The babies were doubled up because of the power failure in the storm. Hospitals always have electricity, but it's limited, which is why they had one isolette still powered and put the two newborns there.  As far as I know (which may not be far!)  the incubators are electrified so infants can be kept warm.                         -G-

[Raymond Jardine]

Oops! I pulled up the Forum to see if there were new posts... and saw that my comments from yesterday failed to post because I didn't complete the captcha.

-----

My comments on Chapter 24 (Theo):

> Theo gets a glimpse of the relationship between Reef and Portia before the party that changed everything. So now he knows for sure Reef had feelings for her.

> "There are definitely worse people to be trapped in a phenomenon with." - Theo gets yet another glimpse of Reef's goodness.

> In chapter 20, Dmitri says the Neighborhood Harvest truck needs a new transmission. Here, Theo says the truck is parked, "waiting for its new engine." 

> Declan, you're a spoilsport. I want a secret knock!

> ... but then Declan hugs Reef?! Okay, Dec, that's decent. And then sticking up for Reef to Konvict. And calling Reef "my brother." There's hope for Declan, after all.

> I love the scene as Theo looks at himself in the restroom mirror and realizes he's both scared and giving off the appearance of calm. @Jade, this scene needs to be part of your "coming-of-age" argument.

> ... until it turns into another gut-wrenching stolen memory of Reef as he watches his mother's casket disappear into the ground at her funeral. So, so sad.

> Chapter 24 finishes out the third quarter of MIXED UP. According to four-part story structure, we should be heading into the challenge resolution. Theo and Reef should have another major hurdle appear in front of them as they make their move to resolve their conflict. 

@Jena you seem to be ahead of the rest of us by a couple of chapters. Storm?... What storm? As for the incubator when the boys were newborns, it would definitely be odd to double up. And odder still for lightning to strike. That's why this Phenomenon is such a freak thing. 

[Raymond Jardine]

Hmm. I was pretty sure I posted my thoughts on "Chapter 24" yesterday evening. But they weren't showing on this thread this morning, so I just reposted them a few minutes ago. They seemed to appear briefly, but now I'm not seeing them. @Jade, from your comments, I think maybe you saw my original post. Maybe the Forum is automatically rejecting my posts because some word or phrase I used raised a flag? Maybe I'm going crazy? Maybe I'm already there? Gotta run now but I'll try Chapter 24 again later when I make some comments about Chapter 25.

[Raymond Jardine]

Okay! Looks like my original Chapter 24 comments from yesterday may be gone forever (creating an odd paradox where @Jade responds to some of what I say, before it appears that I say it) but my repost from this morning is now showing up. By sheer brilliance I was able to retrieve the comments without having to retype them (or, you know, I hit the "back" button on my web browser a few times and got lucky). I really thought for a moment they were lost to the sands of time. @Jade, a couple weeks ago you had some "lost" posts. Clearly, the intermittent defect has now shifted to my computer. Or maybe our hard drives are losing their memories to each other? In any case:

My comments on Chapter 25 (Reef):

> A week passes between chapters! That was a surprise.

> "What's different is his use of the word we—meaning him and me, like we're a team and always have been." - This is awesome! Declan's attitude might shift, but his intensity sure doesn't. 

> "She reaches out her hand and we shake solemnly." - Okay, now I like Principal Latimore. She knows she was wrong, she knows Reef isn't going to rat out the person who really stole her purse, and she doesn't push what doesn't need to be pushed. That was a classy move from a class act.

> We are living in the future. Theo has a a phone filled with notes and passwords, and he indicates how serious it is by lamenting he keeps getting locked out of TikTok. Ha! 

> Love the humor in this chapter. Like Reef's suggestion of a "mad scientist gizmo." And his (joking) response when Theo says electricity might be the cure as well as the cause: Pee on an electric fence!

> But Theo outdoes him in the mad scientist realm. Where's the electricity going to come from? Lightning. 
    Yikes!

Ray-J's Word of the Day: I believe I have never before mentally processed the word "isolette." If it's somewhere in MIXED UP, I missed it, but @GRK's comment had me opening up Onelook, which also suggests "humidicrib" as yet another synonym for incubator. 

@Jade: "You could probably fuel a car for a few hours off of a baby’s screaming—that has to generate some energy." - A baby's screams are a good backup if you run out of consommé, but giggles are a more efficient fuel. (Life bucket list item checked off: Use both A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag and Monsters, Inc. to illustrate a point.)

 

[Jena Harper :)]

o, ok the incubater has power so the baby is warm that makes more sense but I think here babies sleep with they're mums in Hospital not in a incubater. Jade I will see if the Library has Lucky Strike it sounds so good. I love the brother line to it is when I thought Declan was'nt so bad he is still not my favourite he is still mad at every one but calling him brother was when I like him more. Raymond Jadine the storm is the when the lightening comes to fix them it is a big storm they keep trying to get lightening to fix them. It is so close to the end I still have a few pages to finish probably this week.

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 24 (Theo):

> Even though we already know Reef's mom had Covid, his post-birthday party memory (via Theo) is such a gutpunch. Of course (!) there was time between when Reef went to Portia's party and his mother's death... it just feels a bit haunted to experience that brief period of blissful ignorance when we, the readers, realize what's coming.

> Milkshake mishaps are a recurring theme in Gordon Korman books. (Offhand I remember: Don and Jessica and the Moontrix Mountain tête-à-tête... Raymond slurping up a strawberry shake when he had ordered double-chocolate (you've got great taste, Raymond!)... and now Theo choking on the stolen memory of Portia.)

> Mono ?!? Portia had mono? First thought: Does Reef really not know this? And then Theo can't tell him, because it would cross a line in acknowledging their swapped memories. 

> Declan's most heroic act yet: He would go to his parents if he thought Reef was doing something that would endanger himself. Dec, you're becoming more human by the day chapter.  ... "What—you don't think I'm going to let you try this alone, do you?"

@Jena Harper, I'm with you: It's hard to forgive the Declan we first met, but it's impossible to dislike him post-Konvict.

 

[Jade]

I didn’t have nuch to say on Principal Latimore (a true W), but PORTIA HAD MONO! That is bad but so good for Reef. How will Coral Reef cope with this! Who knows? (Everyone who read the book)

 

 

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 27 (Reef):

> Reef is rooting for a storm and tuned in to the Weather Channel. THE WEATHER CHANNEL. Declan is "shaking his fist at the heavens." Life is good.

> "Declan slams down his water glass and storms away from the table." - after Willis comments on what a beautiful day it turned out to be. Classic! Love his intensity.

> What would Theo and Reef do without Declan, breaking into the school and setting up the bouncy castle "incubator" in the cupola?!?

> I remember a similar friend / brother realization between Sean and Raymond in Semester as Reef is experiencing with Theo as the Mixed Up duo awaits "the great-granddaddy of all lightning bolts." 

> All that effort, planning, stress, fear... and now they have to plan to do it all again when the next storm rolls in!

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 28 (Theo):

> "If you guys can't get struck by lightning in this, then you're not trying!" - probably the first time that sentence has appeared, in print or in conversation, any time ever.

> "Weather is awesome." - Hey, @TheWeatherChannel: Theo is saying this specifically about watching The Weather Channel. So, you know, is there a more perfect quote for your marketing or whatever?

> Short chapter, but it lays out what's going on with the boys (they're in a holding pattern as they await a new storm) and sets up a clash on Tuesday (as Open School Night competes with Electrified Bouncy Castle Night for top billing).

> It's hard enough to set up the cupola-scaled incubator when they're all alone in the school. How's it going to work when the whole neighborhood is in the building? And the conversation between Theo and Portia made it clear she'll be there!

[Jade]

I read these every day. Raymond, thanks. You know, for saying all of the stuff. I don't talk half as much as I want to. You know when you have a workload so big you don't have time to do the things you love? Yeah. That's me right now, and I'm working on that workload.

 

All of this lightning stuff is awesome. I liked Theo watching the Weather channel. It was sad when the first lightning strike didn't work. I wonder how they work up the nerve to try it a second time. This one will be so cool! I can't believe Portia and Declan believe them. I'd think they were nutcases. Or better yet, basket cases. Portia is so cool!

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 29 (Reef):

> "How could I forget about that?" - Uh, Reef? You reading the same book I'm reading? 

> This is Reef's chapter, but Theo's scheming (about using Open School Night to their advantage) kinda makes this his chapter. Brilliant.

> Even reading the book for a second time, my breathing slowed down and I got chilled when Reef found out what he THOUGHT he knew about Covid and Portia and his mom was based on bad information. "I just stare at him, my mouth hanging open." Me too, Reef.

> "Nothing is different except everything." If anyone's going to cry reading MIXED UP, this is a scene to have the tissues at the ready.

> Declan's citation of chinchillas surviving a lightning strike as a reason "they might not get killed" is awesome.

@Jade, that's a great observation about Declan and Portia believing the "mixed-up memories" tale. It shows both have open minds, which is admirable and all. But more importantly it makes clear how much they trust Reef and Theo. That's huge. MIXED UP is so cool for the unexpected bond that develops between the two protagonists, but friendship extends beyond just the two boys. I hadn't really thought through how much of a leap of faith Portia and Dec have made based on friendship. (And, as a friend of the Gordon Korman Forum, you should never worry a moment about how often you can check in. It's been a while since I was a student but I recall how crazybusysomuchgoingonIcan'tkeepup it felt in high school.)

Hi, Jade.

I was about to tell you how much your input is valued here. I want to make sure you never worry about being super-busy and unable to check in for a while. But Raymond beat me to it, and what he said was exactly right! (He does that a lot.)

                                                                                                                                                                              --G--

[Jena Harper :)]

What is mono I wondered when I saw that word in the book and Raymond Jadine and Jade both say Portia had mono I now it is a trick on a treddly but unless Portia fell down it would not put her sick for 3 weeks. What happened to Declan he is to nice now like he becomes a different boy it would be good for Reef for him to be nice from the start. Does most school make open school night for everyone to come to see the school is that normal? Would all the neighbourhood just walk in to see the school that is not a night here it is just for dads and mums. I looked at chinchillas on google as never seen that until this book do chinchillas make fun house pets or are they wild like Jaws? Weekend went to fast I did'nt finish the book it says 94% I need to finish the book this week may be tomorrow.

[Jade]

Chinchillas do make great pets but they have to take baths in dust so if you’re allergic to dust, or allergic to dirtiness, don’t get a chinchilla. Super cute tho. Do you see why I like Declan so much now? He’s so much better now and it’s cool how him and Portia are more dimensional. It’s so funny how Theo shows more school spirit for this place he learned about a few months ago than his own actual middle school. Mono is a diseass. It’s pretty long lasting and it’s lame. I don’t really know what else to say because these last few chapters were pretty similar and I forgot to get the book back from my friend.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 30 (Theo):

> Theo's recognition that this might be his last morning. And then the hug with his dad. This chapter packs an emotional punch. 

> The humor surrounding the three boys in the scene at the Helmer's place is such a great play against the backdrop of anticipation and worry. Playing patty-cake with a thunderbolt, ha!

> So much amplification of the tension. First, Portia says there's a problem--right before her call ends abruptly. Then the bouncy castle is in use already. Then the planetarium (!!!) requires setup in the middle of a storm. Then the need for a heavy, awkward tire for insulation. Then meeting Principal Latimore en route with the tire, and then having her show up on the roof at the exact wrong time.

> "The world goes dark."   I am guessing anyone who thought they would just read to the end of this chapter and then close the book 'til next time changed their mind right here. 

@Jena Harper: "Mono" is mononucleosis, a virus that makes people feel super tired and sick for several weeks, and it usually affects younger people instead of older adults. I don't know anything about an Open School Night as I came from a smaller town and the school's "neighbors" were at least a half-mile away! But it sounds like a fun way to show off the school and get people to support education. I'm glad @Jade had nice things to say about chinchillas as they are one pet I've never had. I'm pretty certain GRK is trying to include every possible rodent, sooner or later, in his books. Ferrets and hamsters and rabbits and squirrels and beavers have all made appearances... but this might be his first chinchilla mention!

@Jade, I was thinking the *exact* thought about Theo and Delgado school spirit!

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 31 (Reef):

> Reef is alive! Theo is alive! Principal Latimore, Portia, and Declan are all alive! Declan is a hero! 

> "The fact that we knew exactly what we were doing make it look worse, not better." - Reef is smart to clam up to the doctor about what happened in that cupola!

> It is poetic that the boys end up back in Memorial Hospital, right where the whole thing started for them.

> "He seems surprised--doubly so because of that missing eyebrow." - Ha!

> I like the way Reef describes how the memories that belong to Theo feel different. I've picked up on that description for "wrong" memories in several of my favorite stories. The Hunger Games and The Hail Mary Project and Harry Potter and Brave New World and The Giver and The Knife of Never Letting Go come to mind. There's clearly some connection between what we remember and how it makes us feel, aside from pure emotions, that appeals to my imagination.

> Reef has a history of being a mad scientist, if Theo's correctly remembering 8-year-old Reef's Halloween costume. So this whole story was on brand.

One more chapter!

[Jade]

The Giver was a wonderful book. I STILL DONT HAVE MY COPY BACK. Are we at the chapter where Reef realized he wont be getting his old memories back? That makes me glad. Not that he wont but that there isnt some perfect happy ending. Sometimes, we get consequences in life that arent our fault but we just have to keep moving. Valuable lesson

(blessings)

[Jena Harper :)]

I finished reading Mix Up and it is sad to be finished reading it but it is good to because I wanted to now how it ends but it is  nutty as Reef an Theo do'nt get there memories back how can that happen? I hope Reef starts to remember his mum maybe they will have more lightening so they get back all there memories. I hope in another book that is what happens like a part 2 of the story a new storm that hits Reef so he remembers all his memories and maybe Jaws is part of the lightening and has some of Reefs memories then he can tell Theos dad. I get stars for reading this book and I get extra stars if I write a book report so I will write a book report with more stars I will be able to pick another ebook.

[Jade]

I think Reef's memories didn't switch back because that's how life is gonna be sometimes. I think losing the memories helped him overcome his grief in a way. Before the memory swap, he was just mourning her and thinking and stuck in his head about the memories of his mom. But when he began to lose that, he began to become active and have a new set goal in life in order to stop this from continuing lest he lose everything he had of his mom. He became active to stop the mix up. It was sad that he didn't get his memories back, but it was an important lesson for him and Theo.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

My comments on Chapter 32 (Theo):

> "It's an unfair nickname..." - I've never given it much thought, but it's funny we use "nickname" for all sorts of usages instead of more specific terms. "Nick" is a nickname (ha!) for Nicholas, but more specifically it's a diminutive, as are "Bobby" or "Jen." "Happy" or "Buttercup" would be sobriquets--nicknames that are affectionate or silly. "Butterfingers" or "Hated Nate" are epithets--nicknames that are offensively descriptive and intended to be some degree of insulting. With all the nicknames in GRK stories through the years, I have always taken a special interest when I learn the nicknames people choose to go by, and I often have private nicknames in my head for people in my life. But that "unfair nickname" line is the first time I've really thought about how many types of nicknames are in use.

> "The Phenomenon was awful, but I can't regret it because of what it created between Reef and me." - Such a warm feeling with this. I'm a sucker for a good friendship or bromance or brotherhood or whatever you want to call the human bond.

> It's scary to realize how badly the boys were injured. And refreshing to witness their determination to restore each other's memories, one by one.

> Reef has become part of the family. Awesome!! (Jaws has become part of the family? Unexpected!!) 

> "That's something to remember." - For sure!

Without getting too misty, I want to say how much I have enjoyed every moment of reading and reflecting on this story over the past month, contemplating other perspectives and all the wisdom of other interpretations. The shared experience has been really powerful for me. @Jade, you are perceptive beyond your years as I don't think I would have understood (much less observed on my own at a tender age) that "Sometimes, we get consequences in life that aren't our fault but we just have to keep moving." That's a beautiful thought and a piece  of wisdom to add to my life philosophy. @GRK, @Jade, @Jena, and @ anyone who reads this thread (and maybe adds their thoughts) over the coming weeks and years: Thanks for making this one tiny mixed up little part of the world a happy place to gather in friendship.

[Jade]

There’s so much I could say on this chapter. So much. It was a wonderful ending. I’m so glad that this tough situation brought Theo and Reef together. It is really serious but they bond over it… together. It reminds me of Coopervega and Roddy, except there isn’t a bad circumstance forcing them to work together. It’s more intense and it’s really good. It was a phenomenon alright, one that brought a lot of people together. One that tore a guy out of his grief. One that made a guy realize just how much he could accomplish, and that he could turn over a new leaf with his passionate dad and a devious rabbit. It was fun and it was funny but it was also serious and there was a great lesson to learn. These boys definitely came of age. The comment about this making them closer than brothers warmed my heart, it’s so true too.

Guys, I’ve been so grateful for this thread. Even though I didn’t say something every day I read them all the time and it just means so much to me. This has gotten me as active in the Forum as I used to be two years back. Now it’s a new year, a new leaf, and it’s off to a great start. This book, MIXED UP, is amazing, Gord. Raymond, thank you for the idea. Thank you for executing. Jena, thank you for your thoughts! Y’all are both great to listen to. Gord, thanks for popping by. This thread is almost as long as Sorry for Spam by now, it’s insane. Thanks for bringing the Forum back to life.

This thread has been a bright spot in my life since July. Through the bickering with my mom (not anything serious, just normal teenage daughter vs. mom stuff), it gave me something to look forward to in the time between us making up. It gave me something to look forward to after my chores. After my homework. A bright spot in my life. This MIXED UP “Book Club” has brought me so many things.

I remember it being July. July 14th or so, and reading the date “August 29th”, it seemed so far away. Ages away and ages into the school year. But it’s here, now. A whole month of MIXED UP.
Thank you.

Be blessed,

Jade 

(P.S. I’d ask if this was over, but I have a feeling we’re not quite done yet) 

Right again, Jade! It's not done until I have my say.

Thank you, people, for following Theo and Reef through to the fiery conclusion. Your reaction to the story is exactly what I was shooting for. It makes me feel like I did something right. The three of you certainly did. I hope any future readers who look over your running commentary understand the time and effort that went into your work, and appreciate it. I sure do.

                                                                                                                  -----Gordon Korman-----

[Jena Harper :)]

This was soooo much fun I want to do another book  club thank you for having us with a space to say what we like about Mix Up and I did'nt even see some of the stuff Raymond and Jade saw. I was sad when the book was ended and I went back to do some of the chapters twice I am also sad when I come to this book club forum and noone writes on it everyday any more. If Gordon Korman wants to make a second story I hope we find out more from Theo he was my favourite character. Thank You!  :)

[Jade]

Yes, I agree. My life does feel a bit emptier now. Full, but missing a few things--including this. I think it was a great idea and it'd be cool to do more but I don't know if anyone else wants to. It was awesome seeing all of your messages, Jena. Theo was my favorite character too, and a second story WOULD be very cool.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Jade]

How would you feel about doing another one for SLUGFEST?